What 152 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Ltd

WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE J519 POWER CONTROL UNIT IN ORDER TO FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL REPAIR REMEDY FROM THE DEALER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V441000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). SHORTLY AFTER THE DEALER'S REPAIR, THE VEHICLE HAD A STRONG HESITATION AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND PROVIDED FURTHER TESTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILTER AND INTAKE FUEL PUMP WERE PUTTING OUT LOW FUEL PRESSURE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER CLEARED THE CODE FOR THE FUEL PUMP SUPPLY MODULE AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE DEALER'S REPAIR AND THE RECALL REPAIR PROVIDED A SOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

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THE ELECTRONIC E-BRAKE APPEARS TO HAVE SHORTED OUT AND ENGAGED FROM MOISTURE AND I WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE BRAKE FOR NEARLY AN HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, HOWEVER WITH THE LOCATION OF THE EMERGENCY E-BRAKE BUTTON IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AND THE POTENTIAL IT CAN SHORT OUT OR BE ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED WHILE DRIVING THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE.

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THE CAR SHIFTS GEAR VERY EARLY AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSING A LAG IN MAINTAINING SPEED. THIS IS DONE IN THE NORMAL "D" SELECT MODE, AND DOES NOT OCCUR WHEN DRIVING IN SPORT "S" MODE.

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THE BLUETOOTH IN MY 2012 VW TIGUAN HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. VW SAID THAT THE BLUETOOTH IS FAULTY AND THAT I AM OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $700 TO FIX MY BLUETOOTH.

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AT AROUND 50,000 MILES I WAS TOLD BY MY VW DEALER AND VWOA THAT MY DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE NEEDED TO HAVE ITS INTAKE VALVES CLEANED DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP. AND IT WOULD BE LABOR INTENSIVE, AS THE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REMOVED AND WALNUT SHELLS NEEDED TO BE SANDBLASTED INTO THE VALVES TO REMOVE THE BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING MISFIRES DUE TO THE BUILD UP. THIS CARBON BUILD UP IS A KNOWN NEGATIVE RESULT OF A DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE, AND I'M NOT THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE IT. MY DEALER ADDED A FUEL ADDITIVE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES TO TRY TO REMEDY THE SOLUTION, AT VWOA'S ADVICE, BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM--AND REALLY, HOW COULD IT SINCE THE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE DOES NOT LET FUEL INTO THE VALVES (WHERE FIRING WOULD BURN OFF THE CARBON BUILD UP). THE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE SEEMS FINE FROM AN MPG STANDPOINT, BUT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REGULAR CLEANING ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT VW AND OTHER AUTOMAKERS SHOULD AT LEAST DISCLOSE AT PURCHASE, OR RESOLVE VIA ENGINEERING.

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MY CAR HAD TWO RECALLS AND I BROUGHT IT IN AS VW OF AMERICA RECOMMENDED AND I DID HAVE OIL CHANGE AT THE SAME TIME ON 2/19/2016. I WENT ON VACATION AND WHEN I CAME BACK I NOTICE THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHER THEN BEFORE THIS SERVICE. ON WEDNESDAY 03/02/2016, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICE MY CAR LOST BRAKE FUNCTION, I TRY USING EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRY DOWN SHIFT NOTHING WORK. I FEEL BLESS THAT I MANAGE TO AVOID TWO CAR ACCIDENT AND IT WOULD OF BEEN MY FAULT. I MANAGE TO HIT THE CURB TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I SHIFT MY CAR TO PARK AND SHUT THE ENGINE RIGHT AWAY. LOTS OF ICONS INDICATOR WAS ON (AIRBAG, ABS, ENGINE...) AND I TOOK A VIDEO OF THE DASH. I THEN CALL MY INSURANCE HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER SERVICE. NEXT MORNING I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S GOING TO COST ME $3K+ TO FIX ALL THE STUFF THEY TELLING ME THE FOUND AND CLAIM IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALLS OR OIL CHANGED THEY DID, PRIOR TO SERVICE I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AMERICA THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND HAVE CALLED THEM A FEW TIME NOW AND NOTHING WORD ON WHAT THEY GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO GET BACK IN MY VEHICLE AND ALSO NOT SURE THEY ENSURE MY VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE PLUS THEY ASKING FOR $3K+ TO ADDRESS SOMETHING CLEARING DEFECTIVE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 02/19/16*LJ

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DAUGHTER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH WHEN INVOLVED IN 8 CAR CHAIN REACTION COLLISION. SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE. DAUGHTER INJURED WHEN SHE STRUCK STEERING WHEEL. DESPITE SPEED AND DEGREE OF DECELERATION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS OR SIDE CURTAINS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND GOING OVER DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

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MECHANIC REPORT: AFTER REPLACEMENT OF SPIRAL SPRING YELLOW STEERING GEAR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. CHECKED WORK PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED. NO PROBLEM FOUND. PERFORMED CAPASITOR DISCHARGE. DTS STILL WILL NOT ERASE. CONTACTED TECH LINE(VTA# 1505839). UPDATED SOFTWARE OF STEERING ASSIST MODULE. STILL WILL NOT ERASE. PERFORMED VOLTAGE DROP TEST ON WIRES. ALL OK. PER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM VW ELECTROMECHANICAL STEERING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. POWER STEERING PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL REPAIRS DONE ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA RECALL: 15V483

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THE CAR WAS TOTALED IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH THREE PASSENGERSAND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWING AIRBAG DYSFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE INFORMATION THAT VW PROVIDED ABOUT THE AIRBAG RECALL SEEMS INCOMPLETE AND TO UNDERSTATE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ISSUE.

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WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. I TRIED TO RE-START THE ENGINE AND IT DID NOT START. THE VEHICLE CAME TO FULL STOP. IT TOOK A WHILE TO RE-START THE ENGINE. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS REPAIRED BY A VW DEALER, BUT I NEVER GOT A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENED. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED LAST SUNDAY ON A HIGH TRAFFIC LOCAL ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND AGAIN CAME TO A FULL STOP. IT WILL NOT RE-START.

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THE COILS KEEP GOING BAD. REPLACED ALL FOUR COILS TWICE WITH IN A ONE YEAR TIME FRAME. TWO COILS WENT BAD, REPLACED THEM AND THEN THE OTHER TWO WOULD GO BAD. WENT APPROX. THREE MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY WENT BAD.

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DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT RETRACT DOWN TO BUCKLE DRIVER IN. IF IT DOES WORK IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ANY MOVEMENT TO LOOK BEHIND OR IN MIRRORS. DID NOT GET PROBLEM FIXED TO COSTLY

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I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY! AS IT TURNS OUT, THE TIMING CHAIN HAD FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THE PARTS THAT FAILED WERE NOT DUE FOR MAINTENANCE UNTIL 200,000 MILES- MY CAR ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES. ALTHOUGH THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD IN ALL VOLKSWAGEN MODELS, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL FOR THE PARTS, AND THE ISSUE IT IS NOT COVERED BEYOND THE STANDARD 5 YEAR, 60,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MYSELF AND MY CHILD BEING REAR ENDED AND KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME RAPID DECELERATION HAS OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE- IT HAPPENED 3 PREVIOUS TIMES LAST YEAR DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD/FUEL INJECTORS. A RECALL WAS EVENTUALLY ISSUED FOR THOSE PARTS. THE 2012 TIGUAN IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE- THERE ARE MANY FAILURES AND SAFETY-RELATED TSBS BUT VERY FEW RECALLS. IN FACT, THE TSB FOR MY CURRENT ISSUE WAS RELEASED 3 YEARS AGO FOR ALL VW MODELS, YET NO RECALLS EXIST FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS (TB 15-12-01)! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND WISH I HAD NEVER EVER BOUGHT IT. I FEEL THAT EVERY YEAR OF THIS MODEL SHOULD BE REEVALUATED AND RECALLED IF NECESSARY. UPDATED 9/25/15 *LN UPDATED 3/23/2016 *JS UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN

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THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. HAVING COME TO A MOMENTARY STOP, FOR EXAMPLE IN AN INTERSECTION AWAITING ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE PROCEEDING TO TURN LEFT, WHEN AGAIN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR LAGS FOR 1-2 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE. VERY UNNERVING WHEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS BEARING DOWN. THE PROBLEM SEEMS ENDEMIC, A DESIGN ISSUE, AND VERY UNSAFE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND FAR ENOUGH TO LATCH UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT ONCE LATCHED THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO LEAN FORWARD LIMITING HIS VIEW OF THE SIDE MIRRORS AND WINDOWS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AS WELL AS WHEN THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE ABOUT WHAT PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,949.

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TWO SEPARATE FAILURES OF ENGINE IGNITION COIL. VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN RAN ROUGH AND LACKED POWER (4 CYLINDER). FIRST INCIDENT CHRISTMAS MORNING; DEALER FOUND NON-FUNCTIONING IGNITION COIL AND REPLACED -UNDER WARRANTY. SOME THIRTY DAYS LATER SIMILAR PROBLEM. DEALER DIAGNOSED ANOTHER IGNITION COIL FAILED. CONSUMER REQUESTED VW REPLACE ALL FOUR (4) COILS AT THIS TIME WITHOUT CHARGE. VW PROVIDED REPLACEMENTS AT NO COST TO OWNER. *TR

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WE RECENTLY (12-23-2014) BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE AUGUST 11TH 2014 RECALL OF THE TIGUAN ECM/AIR BUBBLE ISSUE RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP IN THE CARS. OUR CAR WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES RELATING TO THE RECALL AND DESCRIBED, BUT DUE TO POTENTIAL ISSUES DECIDED TO BRING IT IN TO HAVE IT APPLIED ANYWAYS. UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING FUNNY, AND WE NOTICED GAS MILEAGE HAD GONE DOWN. DUE TO ECM BEING REFLASHED AS A PART OF THE RECALL, WE CHALKED IT UP AS THE COMPUTER NEEDING TO RE-"LEARN" DRIVING HABITS, SHIFT POINTS, ETC.. ABOUT 25 MILES LATER WE WERE ON THE WAY HOME FROM AN EVENT ABOUT A FEW MILES FROM HOME. WE WERE ON A VERY BUSY 6 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. IT PUT US IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POSITION, 4 ADULTS IN A CAR ON A BUSY 6 LANE HIGHWAY. WE MANAGED TO COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TO AN OFFRAMP. THE CAR RESTARTED AND THE EPC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO RUN, BUT ONLY IN LIMP MODE, ENOUGH TO GET US THE FINAL COUPLE MILES HOME. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. ISSUE WAS A FAILED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT APPARENTLY IS A VERY COMMON PART TO FAIL, AND AT LOW MILEAGE ON CARS, IN ANY CONDITION. IT FAILED AFTER THE "NEW CAR WARRANTY" BUT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PROVIDED BY VW. DUE TO IT'S HIGH FAILURE RATE AT LOW VEHICLE MILEAGE, AND THE IMPACT IT CAN HAVE ON SAFETY, THE FUEL PUMP RECALL FROM AUGUST 11TH SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF THE PART. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, INJURIES ON THE LEFT LEG, AND NECK PAIN, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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CAR COMPLETELY STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED MOSTLY WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, BUT HAPPENED ONCE WHILE PULLING OUT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE VW DEALER THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP MODULE. BEING SUCH A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, I HAD THESE PARTS FIXED FOR AN OUT OF POCKET COST OF $889.95. IN AUGUST OF 2014, I RECEIVED A LETTER DISCUSSING A SAFETY RECALL (SAFETY RECALL 24AV--FUEL PUMP 2009-2014 MODEL YEAR VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN) THAT MATCHED THE EXACT PROBLEM I HAD ORIGINALLY DESCRIBED WHEN FIXING MY CAR BACK IN JANUARY OF 2014. AFTER SUBMITTING ALL OF THE INVOICES TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT TO THE COSTS INCURRED TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE HAS DENIED MY CLAIM AND HAS YET TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *TR

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THE CAR CAN NOT ACCELERATE PAST 45MPH, STUTTERS GOING UP HILL, HAD TO BE ABANDONED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROUND ON A 10 HOUR TRIP. THE CAR IS 2 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT. VW SAYS THAT IT IS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, WHICH THEY INCONSISTENTLY COVER WITH THEIR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DEPENDING HOW SKETCH THE DEALERSHIP IS. VW HAS HAD MANY ISSUES WITH THEIR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE THEM! *TR

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THE BRAKES FIRST APPEARED TO BE SLUGGISH AS I WAS STOPPING FOR A LIGHT. ONCE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND THE ENGINE DIED. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE. THE ENGINE STARTED, BUT THE CAR SHUDDERED. IT DROVE LESS THAN A MILE BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN. I WENT THROUGH THE SAME SEQUENCE IN ORDER TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT THE ENGINE KEPT DYING. IN ALL, IT DIED FIVE TIMES IN FIVE MILES, DYING FASTER AND SHUDDERING HARDER UPON RESTART. NOW, THIS CAR IS LIKE NEW. IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW 2.5 YEARS AGO AND HAS LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD A CLEAN INSPECTION THREE MONTHS AGO, AND UP UNTIL TODAY NEVER SHOWED ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN IN NO COLLISIONS. THE PROBLEMS BEGAN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. AND NOW THE CAR BARELY FUNCTIONS. IF I HAD BEEN IN FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR

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